I missed second grade because I was sick, so my teachers determined I might be able to catch up if they put me directly into the third grade. I must have made it through ok because I was then allowed to skip 4th grade as well. The reason was my interest in science, and the space race was speeding up and America was desperate for more scientists and engineers and my interests were clearly in that direction. I know the shortage of science and engineering students was an issue well before sputnik. 5th grade was tough for me, my mother had to force me to memorize the multiplication tables at home, and I never did learn cursive writing properly.

I'm not surprised you feel the dumbing down of America is all a liberal plot, but if I had to guess it was probably more related to the advent of television. Fortunately, my family didn't own one until I was twelve years old, so I was forced to entertain myself by reading. There are other factors, too, which came into play later. First, there was school desegregation. The disruption caused by bussing etc played a role, as well as the political pressure to pass black kids even if they were not ready. This is, of course, not a racial statement, black schools were better then than integrated schools were just a few years later. Have you noted how MLK and Malcom X and even Rap Brown could command the English language? No Ebonics then, blacks sought education and prided themselves in it. "Social promotion" was originally a technique to get dumb and/or mean white kids out of the way so others could learn. I remember the debates about that before integration of the schools became a fact.

The most important factor, in my opinion, was that as the immigrant generation became assimilated, the family pressure to succeed by study and education became diluted by the consumer era and its delights. What really mattered was getting a good-paying job in industry, learning and scholarship became something for sissies, the "brains" became social outcasts, and school became a place to engage in athletics, drag racing, and fashion one-upsmanship. We discovered that all that mattered was "being cool". Discipline took a dive after parents started interfering in the school's traditional role in that area (my candidates for the villains here are pop psychology and easy litigation).

I was lucky, I graduated from high school in 64, just in time, and although all the courses I needed for success in college were available and taught by competent staff, they were all electives. You could get through without a foreign language, algebra, or decent English beyond the bare minimum. Of course, there was no shortage of shop, home ec, sports, band, business prep, civics and vocational classes. For seniors, home room and study hall offered credits towards graduation. Anything else was considered "only for those considering college". In my home, college was the ONLY option.